Get Friendly with Your Local Baitshop

[BarkAtTheMoon]

This is just an "outside the box" thought that might help some folks. It sorta depends on the area where you live. I happened upon it from personal experience. My husband heard my complaining about the lack of appropriate worms for my son's beardie being sold at the pet stores. He gave me a weird look and said, "You can't find worms for a lizard? All the bait shops around here, and you can't find worms?" I explained they had to be the right kind of worms. He rolled his eyes and said, "Unless they're sprinkled with fairy dust, the bait shop gets their crix and worms from the same places the pet stores do. Write it on a piece of paper." I did. The bait shop closest to us is run by a widow woman on a fixed income. It was her husband's and she kept it up after he passed cause she needed the income. According to my husband, who went and spoke to her, her supplier offers phoenix worms. All she needed to know was how many and how often we needed them. Keep in mind, I don't see this working with a large "we don't need your money" kind of bait shop. But a smaller, privately owned shop that's getting deliveries on a regular basis anyway, sees it as dependable income. Just a thought.
Jessie and Spot

 

[peera]

Or you can order from those exact same places yourself and cut out the price of the middle man.

 

[BarkAtTheMoon]

Or you can order from those exact same places yourself and cut out the price of the middle man.

That works during the warm seasons, but not so dependable in winter. I'm in NC and the GA site that can send me PW overnight will cancel the order if the weather forecast between here and there doesn't suit the worms. Most bait shops, however, get their deliveries from temperature controlled trucks on routes and weather isn't a concern. Most pet shops get their deliveries this way also. It's the only down side to personal orders. They're shipped overnight via best way and the critters have to be able to survive the conditions at the dock where they wind up spending the night.
This idea is also helpful if you work during the week and can't be home to accept deliveries (further exposing your critters to the weather du jour). Your local baitshop is always open on Saturdays. And they don't want you to refuse your worms, so rest assured they'll care for them until you get there.
Like I said, it's just an outside the box idea for folks having trouble with traditional methods.

 

[christdragon1]

This is a good idea but i just talked to my bait shop and theyre supplier hasnt heard of them. My question is: How many different types of worms are ok to feed bearded dragon? I am searching through the forum and have just not seen a list yet. I have seen the post to beautiful dragon and have downloaded the list from there.

 

[BarkAtTheMoon]

Did you call them Phoenix worms (their designer name) or black soldier fly larvae (their common name)? Bait shops don't get into the designer names. LOL. May not make a difference. Don't know.

 

[christdragon1]

ahhh.....I truly am a newbie poster. I will try again...I really thought they were just worms

 

[clear]

Most places throw in a heat pack when its cold, I know premiumcrickets does. Ordering online is always cheaper if you buy enough to cover the shipping charges.

 

[BarkAtTheMoon]

Alright, so "outside the box" ideas don't go down easy. I get it. And I see how one supplier has solved the temperature problem (at an additional $1.50 per 1000). But even they haven't figured out how to teach the critters to get in when you're not home. Their suggestion is having them shipped to your work. No, don't laugh, follow the link below to their shipping policy. :lol: As much as I would absolutely adore doing this (you'd have to know some of the people I work with), my boss would have no choice but to drag me into his office and ask me what the you know what I thought I was doing. :shock: The more I think about it, though, it might be worth it.
Oh well, it matters not to me. There are sites on the web that explain how you can grow your own black soldier fly larvae, if you really want the cheapest price. All I know is I get mine for $5.00/100. No shipping, no fancy blankets, nada. And Spot doesn't seem to care one way or another. At least he doesn't act like it.

http://www.premiumcrickets.com/premium-crickets-shipping-policy_p1.html

 

[Epic]

Are the pheonix worms in the same package as the feeder sites sell? Unfortunately, worms and crickets aren't just worms and crickets. Bait shops buy large amounts of these worms/crickets to sell off as bait, not for a healthy growing dragon. Therefor they don't care what shape they're in, how they were raised, gutloaded, or sanitary conditions. I talked to a friend who used to work at a bait and tackle shop nearby, he said some of the suppliers they got crix and worms from were hidious. Now, of course every bait shop is different. Since it is a smaller bait shop, have you told the owner what you're using the crix/worms for?